Brookestone Meadows Celebrates a Decade of Community-Based Care

Going the extra mile is a quality that is invaluable to an organization. And it’s often not something that can be forced or taught, but rather an inherent part of that organization’s culture. It’s a culture that Brookestone Meadows Rehabilitation and Care Center has become known for and is something the facility is looking forward to celebrating at its upcoming 10th Anniversary in November.

When Vetter Health Services (now Vetter Senior Living) built the Elkhorn location a decade ago, they knew the need for a quality, short-term rehab and skilled nursing center was going to quickly grow in West Omaha. With its dark-stained wood interior and grand lobby fireplace, the facility rivals many hotels in its interior décor. Amenities include fresh popped popcorn and homemade soft serve ice cream, a beauty and barber shop, a chapel, three meals served daily that are prepared by an on-site culinary staff, 26” flat-screen TVs in all of the private and companion rooms, and three beautiful courtyards.

But despite the beauty of the building and all of its extras, Brookestone Meadows wouldn’t be one of the premier rehab facilities in Omaha if it weren’t for the people who go that extra mile every day to ensure its residents have the best experience possible. Director of Nursing Dawn Truckenbrod, who has been at Brookestone since it opened, said despite the many changes she’s seen in health care over the years and the processes they have to follow to stay compliant, every single one of their 275 employees truly care about the people who come in and out of their facility.

“Families trust us with their loved ones, so we’re always striving to exceed their expectations,” Dawn said. Whether it’s one of the van drivers transporting a patient someplace on his day off, or a nurse surprising a patient with his favorite dessert, Dawn said they are always focused on the individual’s needs and customizing their care. “It’s a company-wide priority, and because of that, Vetter Senior Living ensures we have the latest technology and tools in order to meet the needs of all our patients,” Dawn added.

Brookestone serves about 1,000 patients per year and has 66 beds on the long-term care side of the building and 74 beds on the short-term rehab side. They do have some residents who have lived on the long-term care side for the full 10 years. They have seen a shift in the type of patient recently, with the average age skewing younger than in the past, and more people who have medically complex cases. Much of this is due to an increased number of people completing rehab at home for hip and knee replacements rather than at a center such as Brookestone.

Even with more medically complex patients, the center is able to meet their rehab needs. Jinae Attanasio, Director of Rehab, said their therapists are eager to learn the latest methods, including two therapists who have become certified in treating lymphedema. “We make sure our patients have the level of function they need to return home, and that is different for everyone,” Jinae said. Many patients come in prior to surgery to start aquatic rehab, knowing it can improve their recovery time post-surgery. “Customer satisfaction is what makes us different, and hospitals have built a trust in our facility, making us a preferred provider,” she added.

As Brookestone Meadows prepares for its week-long anniversary celebration, which will honor team members, residents, and its partners in the community, they know that person-centered care is what they will continue to focus on for the next 10 years. And they invite anyone to stop in for a tour, an ice cream cone, or some fresh popped popcorn and experience that “extra mile” that has made Brookestone Meadows a quality name in care.

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Kathy, an Omaha native and graduate of Iowa State University, is a writer, editor, and children’s book author. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Elkhorn Soccer Club, for which both her sons play soccer, and she is also a volunteer for the Nebraska/Iowa Chapter of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, and the parent coordinator for the My IBD Family committee at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center.